The University of Mississippi’s Interfraternity Council Formal Recruitment week kicked off on Thursday, Aug. 22, with a record-breaking 1,593 participants and Phi Kappa Tau stepping out of the recruitment process.

IFC President and senior accounting major Beckett Abington explained that recruitment began earlier this year due to classes starting later in the fall.

“We decided, (while) working with school administration, that since school is pushed back a week and we have the first (football) game that first weekend, it’d be best to have (recruitment this week),” Abington said.

Abington also explained that Phi Kappa Tau would not be participating in recruitment due to “internal issues.” 

“As of now, Phi Kappa Tau, which is a fraternity here on campus, will not be participating in recruitment due to some internal issues,” Abington said. “The university, working with the (Phi Kappa Tau) board of directors, nationally thought it would be best that they step out of this recruitment.”

According to Jacob Batte, director of news and media relations for the University of Mississippi, Abington’s statement addresses everything that the university can share.

The Daily Mississippian reached out to Phi Kappa Tau on Sunday, Aug. 25, and a representative declined to comment on the situation for publication. In 2021, the fraternity faced a one-year suspension from the UM campus after a hazing investigation in June 2020. The suspension lasted until May 2022.

Abington gave the following statement when asked whether or not the fraternity would be accepting new recruits during formal recruitment this year.

“Unfortunately, things go wrong, people make mistakes and people do things that are unjust — not unjust — that are wrong, people do things that are wrong. Unfortunately when things like that happen, there are consequences,” Abington said. “I only know so much about the situation as it’s over my head, but I don’t think they will be participating in anything this year. I think it’s best that the fraternity seeks more internal improvements and works together to create what a true fraternity should be, and I don’t think they’re quite there yet.”

In an Aug. 23 statement, the IFC emphasized the importance of class attendance during Greek recruitment.

“We have told all of our (potential new members) that if they skip class for any recruitment reason, then they will be dropped from our recruitment process and will not be allowed to join a chapter,” the letter to university students, faculty and staff stated.

The message also stated that although the IFC recognizes that fraternity and sorority life holds a large influence over many students’ college decision, the organization does not condone the skipping of class for recruitment purposes.

“PNMs were required to fill out absentee forms disclosing any scheduling conflict they may have with recruitment and classes before the formal rush process began to ensure that if they had a class during a recruitment round they were not penalized for missing it,” Beta Theta Pi President Will Beatty, senior political science major from Augusta, Ga., said. “This change, I believe, will positively impact the students recruitment process, as it will teach them from the start that their education always comes first.”

The first step in the recruitment process, known as Round Zero, took place on Thursday, followed by IFC Convocation on Friday, and two days of Round One on Saturday and Sunday. 

Abington, a former recruitment counselor — known as a Rho Alpha — talked about the impact that the recruitment process has on its participants.

“I had a group of about 17 potential new members. I think a highlight from (my experience) is that I still know each and every one of them today,” Abington said. “Each of them are placed in various different chapters, and I still connect with all of them … I think that’s great because people in fraternities shouldn’t just be making friends within their fraternity. They should branch out and meet other people.”

Recruitment wraps up on Friday, Aug. 30, as participating fraternities will offer bids to potential new members.